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How it is administered
Obinutuzumab is given as an intravenous (IV) infusion, meaning it is administered directly into a vein by a healthcare professional. It is not given as a quick injection (IV push or bolus), but rather slowly over several hours. The medication comes as a liquid concentrate that is diluted and infused through a dedicated IV line.
For blood cancers like follicular lymphoma, the typical dosing schedule involves several infusions during the first cycle (on days 1, 8, and 15), followed by infusions every few weeks or months, depending on your treatment plan. Premedication with steroids, acetaminophen, and antihistamines is usually given before each infusion to reduce the risk of reactions.
How it works
Obinutuzumab is a type of medication called a monoclonal antibody. It is designed to target a protein called CD20, which is found on the surface of certain B cells, including those involved in some blood cancers like marginal zone lymphoma and follicular lymphoma.
When obinutuzumab binds to the CD20 protein, it helps your immune system recognize and destroy these cancerous B cells. It does this in several ways: by directly causing the cells to die, by recruiting other immune cells to attack the cancer cells, and by activating a process called the complement cascade, which helps break down the targeted cells. Obinutuzumab has been engineered to be more effective than some similar medications at recruiting immune cells to attack cancer cells.
Common side effects
- Infusion-related reactions (such as chills, fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, breathing problems, or chest pain)
- Neutropenia (low white blood cell count)
- Thrombocytopenia (low platelet count)
- Infections (including upper respiratory tract infections and urinary tract infections)
- Fatigue
- Cough
- Musculoskeletal pain (muscle or joint pain)
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Rash
- Headache
If you experience any signs of infection, bleeding, or severe allergic reaction, contact your healthcare provider immediately.
Who Should take it
Obinutuzumab is used in combination with other chemotherapy medications for adults with certain types of blood cancers, especially follicular lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. It is approved for use in patients with previously untreated follicular lymphoma (in combination with chemotherapy), as well as in those whose disease has come back or did not respond to previous treatments that included rituximab.
For marginal zone lymphoma, while obinutuzumab is not specifically FDA-approved for this condition, it may sometimes be considered if other treatments are not suitable, since marginal zone lymphoma is a type of B-cell lymphoma and shares some treatment approaches with follicular lymphoma.
Who should not take it
You should not take obinutuzumab if you have had a severe allergic reaction (such as anaphylaxis or serum sickness) to obinutuzumab or any of its ingredients. If you have had a serious reaction to this medication in the past, it should not be given again.
Obinutuzumab should also not be used if you have an active, serious infection. If you have a history of hepatitis B infection, your doctor will need to monitor you closely, as this medication can cause the virus to reactivate. Pregnant women should avoid this medication, as it can harm the unborn baby.
Commonly used with
Obinutuzumab is commonly used in combination with chemotherapy agents such as bendamustine, CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone), or CVP (cyclophosphamide, vincristine, and prednisone). In chronic lymphocytic leukemia, it is often combined with chlorambucil.
These combinations help improve the effectiveness of treatment by attacking the cancer cells in different ways.
Commonly tested with
Obinutuzumab has been studied in combination with various chemotherapy regimens for blood cancers, including bendamustine, CHOP, CVP, and chlorambucil. These studies have looked at how well the medication works and its safety profile when used with these other drugs.
It is also tested in maintenance therapy, where it is given alone after initial combination treatment to help keep the cancer from coming back.
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